1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a compact, comprising a housing, an applicator and a plurality of recesses in the housing for receiving a cosmetic.
2. Background Art
A cosmetic is a preparation which is applied externally to the human body for the purpose of preserving, beautifying or altering the appearance of a person to whom the cosmetic is applied. Common cosmetics include lipstick, face powder and eye shadow.
Another common cosmetic is mascara, which is applied to eye lashes, typically to colour or darken them. It is also known to apply mascara to hair to give an altered visual appearance. Most commonly, mascara is applied in liquid form from a tubular plastics housing in which the mascara is stored. The plastics housing has a closed end and a removable cap threadingly received on the other end. An applicator is provided on the cap, in the form of an elongate member having a brush at its free end, which extends away from the cap and is stored within the housing when the cap is in position on the housing. The elongate member extends substantially the whole length of the housing, to enable the brush to be at least partially immersible in any mascara contained within the housing when the applicator is inserted into the housing.
To colour or darken eye lashes using the liquid mascara, the applicator is agitated within the housing to ensure an amount of mascara is loaded on the brush. The applicator is then removed from within the housing, and the brush bearing the mascara is applied in strokes to the underside or top, or both, of the eye lashes of one eye at a time, thereby transferring mascara to the eye lashes.
It is also known to provide mascara in a solid form, contained in a plastics housing, the combination of the housing and solid mascara being commonly referred to as a “compact”. Typically, an applicator brush is also provided with the compact, for application of the mascara. To apply the mascara, either the brush or the surface of the solid mascara is first moistened, using saliva for example. The brush is then brought into contact with the solid mascara, to transfer an amount of the mascara to the brush, which is then applied to the eyelashes in the mariner described above.